Effects of taurine supplementation in live feeds on larval rearing performance of California yellowtail Seriola lalandi and white seabass Atractoscion nobilis.

The larval rearing performance of California yellowtail ( Seriola lalandi) and white seabass ( Atractoscion nobilis) was compared between larvae fed taurine-supplemented rotifers ( Brachionus plicatilis) and Artemia ( Artemia franciscana) and control groups fed live feeds with no taurine enhancement. Results from the S. lalandi trial demonstrated that when fed taurine-supplemented rotifers, survival was significantly higher than the control group (20.1% vs. 9.1%, P < 0.01) as was notochord length (5.43 mm vs. 5.13 mm, P < 0.005). No larval performance differences were detected between experimental and control treatments of A. nobilis. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that taurine concentrations were significantly elevated in both S. lalandi (23.7 vs. 2.7 mg g⁻¹, P < 0.001) and A. nobilis (33.0 vs. 21.0 mg g⁻¹, P < 0.005) when live feeds were supplemented with taurine. Results suggest that taurine is a limiting nutrient in the larviculture of S. lalandi but may not be for A. nobilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]